Scotland’s Health Research and Innovation Conference has been hailed a success after 550 delegates gathered in Edinburgh for a landmark showcase of cutting-edge approaches to exploring and addressing healthcare needs.

The event, which took place last Thursday at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), was hosted by the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of the Scottish Government and NHS Research Scotland (NRS).

A theme of ‘Research Enabled Health Innovation’ served to reflect their joint aim of marking a pivotal moment in empowering an exciting new era of care – while a strong programme underlined both achievements and ambitions in the drive towards turning that into a reality.

The conference welcomed wide-ranging contributors from all career stages, creating an inclusive platform for enabling the sharing of insights drawn from multiple specialties and sectors.

Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray opened the day with a video message stating, “health research, and the innovations that stem from it, are vital if we are to rise to, and resolve, the health and care challenges that we face”.

Throughout the conference, a succession of leading homegrown success stories brought to life Scotland’s significant research strengths and forward-thinking capabilities.

Keynote speakers featuring across the event’s engaging programme included:

• Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), who outlined future opportunities in science and research
• Professor Melanie Davies, Chair of Commercial Research Delivery Centres UK Network (CRDC UK), spoke of her ambitions for the initiative and took part in a panel discussion introducing Scotland’s four new CRDCs
• Professor Michael B. Cook, Executive Director of Science at Our Future Health, urged the grasping of ‘Novel Opportunities for Discovery, Aetiological and Translational Research in the Scotland Population and Beyond’
• Professor Patrick Chinnery, Executive Chair of the Medical Research Council (MRC), focussed on ‘Creating a National Health Innovation Ecosystem’

Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Chief Scientist (Health), Scottish Government said: “We are proud to have had the opportunity of setting what we believe is a progressive new health research and innovation agenda, and of being joined by hundreds of delegates to share, discuss, and contribute to, that vision.

“That engagement in itself – from researchers, innovators, healthcare staff, policymakers, industry, and the public – underlines Scotland’s thirst for change, for overcoming challenges, and harnessing the country’s incredible depth of knowledge.

“So many learnings were shared at this truly national event, and so many exciting ideas highlighted, inspiring all in attendance through plenary, parallel, and poster sessions, while no doubt making fresh connections amid our vibrant exhibition area.

“We are truly grateful to all those who attended, interacted, and supported our belief in the power of unified will to unlock Scotland’s full health research and innovation potential.”

Two prize winners were singled out for their contributions to the day:

• Dr Stefanie Lip of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde received the Best Oral Presentation award with her talk on ‘Precision at Scale: Data-Driven Recruitment Accelerates Pharmacogenomic Trial Delivery in the NHS’
• Dr Sarah Mills received the Best Poster award for ‘Development and Validation of a Scottish Urgent Care Geriatric End of Life Screening Tool (SUGEST) Risk Prediction Tool for risk of Near-term Mortality’

Professor Dominiczak added: “It is vital that we now take the multi-faceted inspiration created by this gathering of the like-minded, build on the momentum which has been created, and identify new approaches based on what has been learnt.

“The insights offered by our world class researchers and innovators should be considered no less than a launch pad for realising a better healthcare future informed by next generation treatments, therapies, and technologies.”

Over 100 inspiring ePoster submissions, covering a wide range of topics, could be accessed at the conference via interactive digital screens and remain available to browse and share online.

This article is written as part of a promotional agreement between NHS Research Scotland (NRS) and Healthcare News Scotland.

More from NHS Research Scotland: New patient involvement in research conference; Scotland leads world first in premature baby gut trial; Glasgow in ‘significant’ neurology trial; Study reveals keys to public engagement in research; Midlothian GP practice champions clinical research; The nurse helping GPs trial ‘tomorrow’s medicine’

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